Sampling mechanism



March s, 1966 H. L. JAMESON I 3,239,199

SAMPLING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 14, l1964 l A ".1 \|2 28) g 24 I7 FIGI 3o FIG. 2

n I7/ I8 A 36/\ 58 FIG@ INVENTOR. HOW RD L.JAMESON BYM ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,239,199 SAMPLING MECHANISM Howard L. Jameson, Livonia, Mich., assignor to Harry W. Dietert Co., Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Sept. 14, 1964, Ser. No. 396,114 Claims. (Cl. 259-43) This application is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 310,657, led September 23, 1963 (now Patent No. 3,206,981), which application is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 208,442, tiled July 9, 1962.

The invention relates to granular material conditioning apparatus and refers more specifically to sample feeding structure for feeding a substantially uniform continuous sample of granular material from a granular material conditioning apparatus mixer container or the like.

In the past where a uniform continuous sample of the granular material has been required, the granular material has usually been Withdrawn from granular material conditioning apparatus mixer containers by means, such as rotated augers and motor driven helical spring members inserted within the mixer through an opening in the side wall thereof. Such structure is undesirable in that moving elements are required to be inserted within the mixer which are subject to damage and wear due to the constant moving of granular material thereover.

In the past structures for providing granular material samples including no moving element inserted in the granular material in the mixer container for withdrawing a sample of granular material therefrom have provided non-uniform or non-continuous granular material samples.

It is there-fore one of the purposes of the present invention to provide improved sample feeding structure for feeding a uniform continuous sample of granular material from a granular material conditioning apparatus mixer or the like.

Another object is to provide sample feeding structure comprising an opening in the side wall of a container, a plate of substantially less thickness than the side wall of the container secured in the opening flush with the inner surface of the side wall having an opening therethrough, and means within the container for moving material past the opening in the plate.

Another object is to provide sample `feeding structure as set forth above wherein the plate is bevelled at the side of the opening toward which the material is moved to provide a progressively larger opening outwardly of the container.

Another object is to provide sample feeding structure i) which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture and efficient in use.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic view, partly in section of a granular material conditioning apparatus mixer including sample feeding structure constructed in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view 4of the sample feeding structure of the granular material conditioning apparatus mixer illustrated in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a partial elevation View of the sample feeding structure illustrated in FIGURE 2 taken in the direction of arrow 3 in FIGURE 2.

With particular reference to the figures of the drawing, one embodiment of the present invention will now be considered in detail.

lCC

As shown in FIGURE 1, the granular material mixer 10 includes the container 12 having the opening 14 in the side wall 16 thereof in which plate 18 having opening 20 therethrough is secured. Plate 1S is substantially thinner than the side Wall 16 of the container 12 and is provided with a bevelled edge 22 at the side of the opening 20 therethrough toward which granular material 24 in the container 12 is moved by mixer mulling wheels 26 and Scrapers 28.

Thus in operation, as the mulling wheels 26 and Scrapers 28 move the granular material 24 past the opening 20 in the plate 18 a substantially uniform continuous sample of granular material is fed from the container 16 through the opening 20 in the plate 18. The granular material is prevented from compacting in the opening 20 due to the small thickness of the plate 18 and the bevelled surface 22 provided at the side of the opening 20 toward which the granular material 24 is moved.

More specifically the granular material mixer 10 includes the previously indicated container 12 having side wall 16 with opening 14 extending therethrough and the mulling wheels 26 and Scrapers 28 rigidly secured together by means of the rotatable shaft 30 and connecting shaft 32. Sha-ft 30 is mounted for rotation by motor 34.

The sample feeding structure 17 includes the plate 18 which, as shown best in FIGURE 2, is approximately one-quarter the thickness of the side wall 16 of the container 12. The plate 18 is rigidly secured in the opening 14 in the side wall 16 of container 12 by convenient means, such as welding, and is flush with the inner surface 36 of the container side wall 16.

As previously indicated, the plate 18 is provided with an opening 20 extending therethrough through which granular material from the mixer 10 is passed on rotation of the mulling wheels 26 and scrapers 28. The edge 22 of the plate 1S is bevelled outwardly of the container side wall 16 on the side thereof toward which the granular material 24 is moved on operation of the mixer 10 to provide a progressively larger opening outwardly of the container 16. Thus, packing of granular material in the opening 20 is prevented so that a substantially uniform constant sample of granular material is fed from the container 12 on rotation of the mulling Wheels 26 and Scrapers 28.

In over-all operation, granular material 24 is positioned in the granular material mixer 10 and the motor 34 is started to rotate the mulling wheels 26 and Scrapers 28 in one direction whereby the granular material 24 is moved across the sample feeding structure plate 18 in a direction toward the bevelled edge 22 in opening 2t) extending therethrough. As the granular material in the mixer 10 passes by the opening 20 a substantially uniform continuous sample of granular material is passed out of the opening 20 and is immediately removed from the area of the opening 20 down the chute 38.

The granular material has no tendency to pack in the opening 20 as it would have in a similar size opening in the container side wall 16 due to the substantially smaller thickness of the plate 18 and the bevelled edge 22 on the opening 20 in the plate 18.

While one embodiment of the present invention has lbeen disclosed in detail, other embodiments and modifications thereof are contemplated. It is the intention to include `all embodiments and modifications as are defined by the appended claims within the scope of the invention.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A sample feeding structure for Ifeeding granular material from a container which container includes a side Wall having an opening therethrough comprising a plate positioned Within the opening in the container side wall having a thickness substantially less than the thickness of the container side wall and having an opening therethrough and means positioned within the container for moving the granular material past the opening in the plate, the terminal side of the opening through the plate toward which the granular material is moved within the container being bevelled to increase the area of the opening therethrough outwardly of the container.

2. A granular material mixer comprising a container having -a side wall with an opening therethrough, mulling wheels and Scrapers positioned within the container, means for rotating the mulling wheels and Scrapers within the container for moving granular material past the opening through the side wall of the container in one direction, a plate secured within the opening in the side wall of the container having a thickness approximately one-quarter of the thickness of the container side wall and having an opening therethrough, the terminal edge of the opening through the plate toward which the granular material is moved being bevelled to increase the size of the opening through the plate outwardly of the container.

3. Structure as set forth in claim 2 wherein the plate is secured within the opening in the side wall of the container flush with the interior surface of the container.

4. A sample feeding structure for feeding granular material from a container which container includes a side wall having an opening therethrough comprising a plate positioned within the opening in the container side wall having an opening therethrough and means positioned within the container for moving the granular material past the opening in the plate, the terminal side of the opening through the plate toward which the granular material is moved within the container being `bevelled to increase the area of the opening therethrough outwardly of the container.

S. A granular material mixer comprising a container having a side wall with an opening therethrough, mulling wheels and Scrapers positioned within the container, means for rotating the mulling wheels and Scrapers within the container for moving granular material past the opening through the side wall of the container in one direction, a plate secured within the opening in the side wall of the container having a thickness substantially smaller than the thickness of the side wall of the container and having an opening therethrough, the terminal edge of the opening through the plate toward which the granular material is moved being -bevelled to increase the size of the opening through the plate outwardly of the container.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1880 Witsil 259-40 X 12/1946 Christensen 259-40 X 

1. A SAMPLE FEEDING STRUCTURE FOR FEEDING GRANULAR MATERIAL FROM A CONTAINER WHICH CONTAINER INCLUDES A SIDE WALL HAVING AN OPENING THERETHROUGH COMPRISING A PLATE POSITIONED WITHIN THE OPENING IN THE CONTAINER SIDE WALL HAVING A THICKNESS SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THE THICKNESS OF THE CONTAINER SIDE WALL AND HAVING AN OPENING THERETHROUGH AND MEANS POSITIONED WITHIN THE CONTAINER FOR MOVING THE GRANULAR MATERIAL PAST THE OPENING IN THE PLATE, THE TERMINAL SIDE OF THE OPENING THROUGH THE PLATE TOWARD WHICH THE GRANULAR MATERIAL IS MOVED WITHIN THE CONTAINER BEING BEVELLED TO INCREASE THE AREA OF THE OPENING THERETHROUGH OUTWARDLY OF THE CONTAINER. 